UV vs RO Purification - Which Water Purifier Is Best For You?

Drinking clean water is imperative to good health. Given the widespread pollution of water bodies, tap water is no longer a reliable source of water. There have been several instances, where people have fallen ill due to drinking unfiltered tap water. Therefore, having a quality, if not the best water purifier at home is a necessity for every household. However, the market offers several types of water purifiers that use different water purification systems. Hence the task of picking the right water filter for home can leave you baffled. Choosing the right water purifier could make all the difference in the world. In order to help you make the right decision, we have compared the most popular water purification systems i.e. RO vs UV water purifier.

What Is Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Purifier System?

It is water purification system that moves water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane. As a result, only water molecules can move to the other side of the membrane, leaving behind the dissolved salts and other impurities. Hence, RO purified water is free from harmful bacteria and well as dissolved contaminants.

What Is UV Water Purifier System?

In a UV water filter system, UV (Ultraviolet) rays are used to kill the harmful bacteria from the water. Hence the water is completely disinfected from pathogens. UV water purifier is good for health because it kills all the harmful microbes present in the water without affecting the taste.

Which is better – RO or UV Water Purifier?

While both RO and UV water purifier systems either removes or kills the harmful bacteria in the water there are several other factors you need to consider before making the final buying decision. Here are the key differences between the two filtration systems.​

• ROA UV filter kills all the pathogens present in the water however, the dead bacteria remain suspended in the water. On the other hand, a RO water purifier kills the bacteria and also filters out their dead bodies floating in the water. Hence, RO purified water is more hygienic.
• RO water purifiers can remove dissolved salts and chemical from the water. However, UV water filters are not capable of separating dissolved solids from the water. Therefore, RO systems are more effective in purifying tap water as bacteria is not the only thing contaminating water. Heavy metals and other harmful chemical present in the water can affect your health adversely.
• RO purifiers have a built-in pre-filtration system that helps it work with dirty and muddy water. On the other hand, UV filters do not work with muddy water. The water needs to be clear, in order to kill the bacteria effectively. Hence, UV filters may not be a good option for areas where the water has a high amount of sediments.
• RO water purifiers require electricity to boost the water pressure. However, UV filters can work with normal water pressure.
• Another major aspect of choosing a water purifier is the cost. Nowadays, the price of water purifier is justified. It not only protects us from water-borne diseases, but also ensures we don’t miss out on school, or work. The RO filter price is justified for the protection it ensures. Alongside, a UV water purifier saves on some other important aspects like time (UV purifiers are faster than RO filters) and keeps the water in its natural colour and taste.

A. O. Smith Adds Another Level of Water Purification Above RO and UV

When everybody is arguing about the best water filtration technology - RO vs UV? There is another purification technology, patented by A. O. Smith – SSM. Side Stream RO Membrane ensure increased purified water recovery rate. This means less water is wasted compared to regular RO water filters. Some of the models with SSM technology are A. O. Smith X4+, X3+ and X3. 

Silver Charged Membrane Technology (SCMT) provides a secondary level of purification which prevents any potential contamination. So, once water is filtered through different stages of purification, another, and probably the last stage is SCMT. It’s proven that SCMT+RO provides better water purification than RO and UV.

However, when we compare RO vs UV water purifiers, it is evident that the RO is a more effective water purification system than UV system. UV water purifiers only disinfect the water which protects you from water-borne diseases. Nonetheless, it fails to remove harmful dissolved salts and heavy metals from the water. Which is why RO water purification systems are more reliable and efficient. Although, a much safer bet today is choosing a UV or RO water purifier with SCMT (Silver Charged Membrane Technology).